Best sports for weight loss: how to pick one you enjoy in a larger body

Best sports for weight loss: the short answer

The best sports for weight loss are the ones you look forward to, because you will keep playing them for months and years. Food does most of the weight work, while a sport adds movement, strength, fun and people who expect you to show up.

That last point matters more than most calorie charts suggest. A game with friends is something you plan your week around, and a missed session lets someone down, so you are less likely to skip it on a grey Tuesday evening.

Why social sports may give extra benefits

The Copenhagen City Heart Study followed 8,577 adults for up to 25 years. Compared with people who did no exercise, those who played tennis lived about 9.7 years longer, badminton players 6.2 years and football players 4.7 years.

Cycling, swimming, jogging and gym training were also linked to longer lives, but by smaller margins. The researchers noted that the sports at the top of the list all involve playing with other people.

This was an observational study. People who play tennis may also differ in income, health or friendships, so the study shows a link and not proof that the racket itself adds the years.

How much activity are you aiming for?

The World Health Organization advises adults to get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity, plus muscle-strengthening work on two or more days. Any amount is better than none.

A one-hour game twice a week already gives you 120 minutes, although part of that hour is spent waiting, collecting balls or changing ends. Add your daily walks and you reach the target without needing a gym.

For the food side, our free eating plan shows how to eat in a way that fills you up and still lets the scale move. A sport on top of that speeds things up a little and makes the whole plan more fun.

How many calories do sports burn at your weight?

Most recreational sports use roughly 300 to 1,200 kcal an hour for people weighing 100 to 150 kg, depending on how fast the game is and how much you rest. A relaxed game sits at the lower end; a full-court match at the top.

The table uses MET values from the latest Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. A MET compares the effort of an activity with sitting still, and the rough energy use per hour is the MET value multiplied by your weight in kilograms.

Read these numbers as a rough guide, not a promise. The Compendium values are averages from studies in adults, and a beginner in a larger body usually plays more slowly and rests more, so the real figure is often lower.

The totals also include the energy your body would use anyway. At 100 kg, about 100 kcal of every hour would be burned sitting on the sofa, so the extra cost of a game of doubles tennis is closer to 350 kcal than 450.

Pickleball and padel have no code of their own in the Compendium yet, so we left them out of the table rather than guess. The pickleball study in the next section gives a good picture of how hard that game is.

One honest point: an hour on court rarely cancels out a large restaurant meal or a few drinks in the clubhouse afterwards. See the sport as fitness and fun that supports your food changes, not as a way to earn extra food.

Racket sports: pickleball, padel, tennis and badminton

Racket sports are among the best sports for weight loss in a larger body, because doubles play gives steady movement with short breaks between points. You can stand closer to the net, let your partner cover the back and still be part of every rally.

Is pickleball good for weight loss?

Yes, pickleball is real exercise. In a study of 53 recreational players with an average age of 62, heart rates sat in the moderate to vigorous zone for more than 70 % of playing time in both singles and doubles.

Players took about 2,800 steps an hour in doubles and about 3,300 in singles. That is a lot of short, quick steps, which is why pickleball builds fitness and also asks a lot of your ankles and knees.

The small court, light paddle and slow plastic ball make it easy to learn. Many beginners have a proper rally within their first session, which keeps motivation high.

Injuries do happen. A study of US emergency department data found that sprains, strains and fractures were the most common pickleball injuries, and that nine in ten injured players were 50 or older, so a warm-up, good shoes and a calm pace are worth it.

Padel

Padel is played in pairs on a small court with walls, so the ball stays in play and you chase it less far than in tennis. The underarm serve and the shorter court make it easier for beginners than tennis.

The walls do bring fast turns and twists. If your knees or hips are sore, start with gentle hitting sessions rather than a match.

Tennis

A review of studies on tennis found that regular players had better aerobic fitness, a lower body fat percentage, healthier blood fats and a lower risk of heart disease. Many of these studies compared players with non-players, so active people may simply choose tennis.

Doubles tennis is a sensible first step. In the Compendium it costs 4.5 METs against 8.0 for singles, so you get a good workout with much less running.

A large British study of 80,306 adults found that people who played racket sports had a 47 % lower risk of dying during follow-up than those who did not. It was also an observational study, and the researchers adjusted for other factors that could explain the difference.

Badminton

Social badminton is a light and friendly indoor option. The shuttle slows down in the air, which gives you time to move, and you can play in doubles on a small part of the court.

Fast lunges are the part to be careful with. Step to the shuttle instead of diving for it, and leave hard smashes for later.

Football, walking football and other team sports

Team sports help weight loss best when you join a relaxed, beginner-friendly version first, such as walking football or a social volleyball session. The full competitive game can come later, if you want it.

Recreational football

A recent meta-analysis pooled 32 controlled trials of recreational football in 1,126 people with overweight or obesity, aged 11 to 68. Playing football led to lower body weight, less body fat, a smaller waist and lower blood pressure compared with control groups.

The effects were larger in women, in players aged 18 or younger and in those who trained more than twice a week. The authors rated the certainty of the evidence as very low to moderate, so treat the result as encouraging rather than certain.

Another review of sport disciplines found moderately strong evidence that football reduces body fat and improves fitness. It also noted that evidence for most other sports was weak, mainly because good trials are rare.

Walking football

Walking football is football without running and usually without contact, which makes it a gentle way back into a team game. In one small study, ten men with an average age of 66, several with health problems, played one two-hour session a week for 12 weeks.

Their fat mass fell by about 3 kg, while total body weight fell only slightly. There was no comparison group and blood pressure did not improve, so this is a small first signal and not firm proof.

Programmes that use professional football clubs to help men lose weight are a separate topic; you can read about them on our weight loss for men page.

Basketball and volleyball

A full basketball game is one of the hardest sports in the table, with lots of jumping and sudden stops. Shooting baskets on your own or with a friend is a softer start that still uses about 5 METs.

Relaxed volleyball with six to nine players per side is light, at around 3 METs. Beach volleyball in sand is far harder, and sitting volleyball, played seated on the floor, takes the load off sore knees and feet completely.

Golf, bowling and other gentle sports

Gentle sports such as golf and bowling help weight loss most when they replace sitting time and when you walk as much as possible. They are a good choice if you are not yet ready for a court sport.

An international consensus statement on golf and health agreed that golf can provide moderate-intensity aerobic activity, social contact and time outdoors. It advises walking the course if you are able, because the health gains are likely greater than when riding a cart.

In the Compendium, pulling a trolley costs 4.5 METs, carrying your clubs 4.3 and riding a power cart 3.5. A full round of 18 holes takes several hours, so walking the course adds up to a lot of steps.

Bowling is light, at around 3.8 METs in an alley, and darts are lighter still. They will not move the scale much on their own, but they get you out, standing and with other people, which can be a first step towards more.

How to choose a sport that suits your body today

Choose a sport by asking three questions: how much does it load your knees, hips and feet, how out of breath will it make you, and will you enjoy the people you play with? The best fit today may not be the best fit in a year.

The table sorts common options by joint load and breathlessness, with a first step and the level from our workout videos that matches it. Some activities have their own guide on our site, so we keep them to one line here.

Other activities count as sport too, and each has its own page with a plan:

• Swimming and water exercise: almost no impact; see swimming for weight loss.
• Cycling: the saddle takes your weight; see cycling for weight loss.
• Running: best after a walking base and a run-walk start; see running for weight loss.
• Dancing: music, rhythm and often a group; see dancing for weight loss.
• Yoga and pilates: strength, balance and a calm mind; see yoga and pilates for weight loss.
• Nordic walking: poles bring in the arms and steady you; see Nordic walking for weight loss.

If your knees, hips, feet or breathing hold you back

Sore joints do not rule out sport, but they change which one you pick first. Our guides to exercise with bad knees, hip pain and weight loss and foot pain and weight loss show which movements to change and which to keep.

Getting out of breath quickly is common when you start, and it usually improves within weeks. Read shortness of breath and obesity to learn what is normal and what needs a doctor.

Build a walking base before fast court sports

A walking base of four to six weeks makes fast sports safer, because your heart, lungs, ankles and knees get used to regular effort before they face sprints, stops and turns. Talk to your doctor first before you start any new exercise plan.

Aim to walk most days, building up to around 30 minutes at a pace where you can talk but not sing. Our page on walking has a full beginner plan, so we will not repeat it here.

Next to walking, simple strength work for your legs and the muscles around your ankles makes a big difference on court. Sit-to-stand from a chair, heel raises and side steps are a good start, and our strength training guide shows how to build up safely.

Court sports also ask for flexible calves, hips and shoulders. Five to ten minutes of easy movement before you play, as shown in warm-up and stretching, lowers the chance of a pulled muscle in the first fast rally.

Your first sessions: beginner groups, doubles and rest breaks

Your first sessions go best when you choose a beginner or social group, play doubles, keep games short and rest whenever you need to. Nobody expects a newcomer to cover the whole court.

• Ask for a beginner or “social” session. Many clubs and community centres run them, and walking football groups are often aimed at people over 50 or at people coming back after a long break.
• Play doubles. You cover half the space, and there is always a natural pause while your partner plays.
• Keep games short. Play 10 to 15 minutes, sit out one game, then play again. Over a few weeks the playing blocks grow on their own.
• Wear shoes with grip and support. Indoor court shoes with a flat, non-marking sole give you grip for sudden stops and side steps.
• Bring water and drink in every break. Plain water is enough for most recreational games.
• Warm up and cool down. A few minutes of easy movement before and some gentle stretches after help your body recover for the next session.

Expect some muscle soreness a day or two after your first games; it should fade within a few days. Sharp pain in a joint, swelling or pain that keeps getting worse are signs to rest and see your doctor.

Feeling out of place? Weight stigma in sport and how to start anyway

Feeling out of place at a sports club is very common in a larger body, and it is a reason to choose your setting carefully, not a reason to stay home. You deserve to play as much as anyone else on the court.

In a small study of 100 female students, those who had faced more weight stigma felt a stronger urge to avoid exercise, and that urge went together with less exercise. It was a preliminary study in young women, but the pattern will sound familiar to many people.

Our page on weight stigma explains where these feelings come from and how to respond to hurtful comments. On court, these steps can help:

• Go with a friend or partner for the first few times.
• Pick sessions called “beginners”, “social”, “over 50s” or “all levels”.
• Call or message the organiser first and ask what a typical session looks like.
• Wear clothes you feel comfortable moving in, not what the regular players wear.
• Judge your progress by games played and rallies won, not by the scale.

Many players remember their own first clumsy match. Most groups are happy to have a new face, and once you have a few sessions behind you, you are simply one of the regulars.

When to check with your doctor before you play

Check with your doctor before you start a sport if you have a heart or lung condition, diabetes, high blood pressure, painful joints, or if you have not exercised for a long time. A short visit can give you peace of mind and tips that fit your own health.

• Chest pain, pressure or palpitations during effort, now or in the past.
• A heart rhythm problem or a blood thinner. Contact sports and falls carry extra risk when your blood clots more slowly.
• Diabetes medicines that can cause low blood sugar, such as insulin or some tablets. Your doctor may advise checking your sugar before and after games and adjusting meals.
• High blood pressure that is not yet under control.
• Joint pain, arthritis or a past injury in your knees, hips, ankles or back.
• Dizziness or fainting in the past, or problems with your balance.

Our page on AFib and weight loss looks more closely at exercise with an irregular heartbeat.

Stop playing at once and get medical help if you feel chest pain or tightness, dizziness or faintness, severe breathlessness that does not settle with rest, or a heartbeat that races or skips. If you use medicine that can cause a hypo, keep fast-acting sugar in your bag at every session.

A 12-week plan: from walking to your first game

This 12-week plan takes you from regular walking to a weekly game of a gentle or racket sport, with strength work alongside. Talk to your doctor first, and move on to the next stage only when the current one feels comfortable.

Tired legs the next day are normal; pain that lasts more than a few days is not. If a week felt too hard, repeat it rather than pushing on.

After 12 weeks, many people keep a mix of daily walks, one or two games and two short strength sessions. That covers the WHO weekly target and gives you variety, so you are less likely to get bored or overload one part of your body.

How often do you need to play to lose weight?

Two sessions a week plus regular walking is a good aim, but even one game a week counts. In the football meta-analysis, effects on blood fats were clearer in people who trained more than twice a week.

The scale will mostly follow your food. Playing helps you keep the weight off and feel fitter along the way, which is often the first change people notice.

Free help to lose weight with good food and walking

At Obesity Foundation we help you lose weight with good food, suitable exercise and walking, and a sport you enjoy fits right into that. All our help is free.

• Eating plan: filling meals that let your game days and your walks show on the scale. Request your free eating plan.
• Workout videos: Start, Build and Strong levels to make your legs and core ready for the court. Get the free workout videos.
• Video meeting: a free video meeting (in English) to choose a sport and plan your week around it. Book a free video meeting.
• Club account: a free place to note your games, your walks and your weight over the months. Join the Obesity Foundation Club.

Once your doctor says yes, pick one gentle session to try in the next two weeks. One game, one walk and one good meal at a time is how most people get there.